Filling In the Blanks
by TheoBurr
Summary: Just fill in the blank stuff for Season 4 between Holly and Gail that was sitting on my computer doing nothing. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Note: This was sitting on my computer. Have at it.

Takes place 4x07

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Gail stopped just outside the double doors of the lab doors to adjust her jacket and zip it closed. When she heard the door open behind her she shoved her hands in her pockets and turned slightly, only enough to see the doctor standing there.

"Come on, Lunchbox. I'll buy you a coffee." The words were escaping her lips before she even registered it was what she wanted. This woman was amusing and Gail found herself actually wanting to talk to her more. Gail turned all the way around to look at Holly, who hadn't said anything. The doctor was smirking and looked her up and down. Gail shrugged. "Unless you have more dead bodies you need to keep company but you should know that it's not every day I offer to buy anything for anyone. Let alone such a social drink like coffee."

"I'm all yours," laughed Holly. Gail narrowed her eyes but shrugged her shoulders and headed to the elevators with Doctor Stewart on her heels. On the lobby floor, Holly was about to head toward the cafe when Gail stopped her.

"Gross. No. I meant real coffee." Holly laughed again. If she kept that up, Gail was going to actually start believing that she was as funny as she always thought she was.

They walked down the street away from the building toward a couple of shops along the street. Holly zipped her jacket closed against the wind. They walked up to a little coffee shop and Gail pulled the door open for Holly. The doctor smiled at her and headed in the door with a little shake of her head. Gail did what she always did in a new building and glanced around. The shop was empty except for a couple of doctors in the corner and there was an exit sign at the back.

"You know, of all the officers that had sat in my office, I think you're the first that's asked me out to coffee. Oh sure, some of the men had other suggestions, but still. This is very refreshing, to say the least." Holly waved to the barista and gave her order. Gail added hers to the doctor's and paid before Holly could object. As they waited for their orders, Holly went back to her previous train of thought as she pushed her glasses up her nose. "You're actually the first one that hasn't huffed and puffed the whole time they sat around my lab while playing games on their phones. Which can be really distracting when you're trying to concentrate."

Gail watched Holly's face as she spoke. The doctor seemed genuinely excited to be talking to her and she kind of laughed to herself because anyone else who knew her actually went out of their way to avoid talking to her. It was really weird talking to someone who didn't look at her like she had 'Peck' tattooed to her forehead rather than just on a piece of fabric indicating her last name. Maybe Gail wasn't the only person who felt like they needed more friends.

While they gathered their drinks, Holly told Gail a story about one officer who was being so annoying that she "accidentally" tripped into him while carrying a dismembered limb. He threw up in the trash bin almost immediately while Holly had to stifle her laughter.

"If I remember correctly," and Gail was pretty sure Holly did. She seemed like the kind of nerd that would remember everything. "He was actually from your division. Officer Epstein, I believe."

"Dov?" Gail almost choked on her coffee. "Oh god. You probably destroyed him. He's weird about germs. He probably went home and bathed in hand sanitizer."

"You know him?" asked Holly.

"Yeah. He's my roommate. We went to the academy together," said Gail as Holly suddenly looked quite embarrassed.

"Oh. Well. Don't tell him I called him annoying," laughed Holly.

"Don't worry about it. I call him annoying all the time." Gail played with the half empty coffee cup in her hands. She had been nervously draining it. Social situations were so weird. How do you tell someone you enjoy talking to them without seeming creepy or, with Holly, like you're hitting on them? "What did he do?"

"He just wouldn't stop moaning about being stuck in the lab. He would go on and on about all the "cool stuff" he could be doing instead of being there." Holly sighed and shifted in her seat. She stretched her legs out under the table and cross her legs at the ankle. Gail could feel the contact on her work boots but didn't say anything. Oddly enough she also found herself not moving away from the contact. "Like, wow, way to make it seem like my job is super boring. Right to my face. At least talk behind my back and call me a four-eyed nerd like a normal person."

What amazed Gail about the way Holly was talking is that she actually didn't seem all that offended. It was like, she didn't actually care about what Dov had been saying just more about how Dov wouldn't shut up. It made her think back to the day they just spent together with Mr. Robbie Robinson. Gail had asked a lot of questions. And the blonde found herself doing something she never did. She apologized.

"Sorry, if I got on your nerves at all today."

"What?" Holly looked honestly surprised. Like that was the last thing she was expecting to come out of Gail's mouth. "You didn't bother me. I actually liked talking to you. Why else would I agree to coffee?"

Gail looked skeptical and Holly smiled. She had a really infectious smile.

"I love what I do. So, I love talking about what I do. You asked questions about what I was doing. It was fun explaining it all to you." Holly lifted her cup and held it between her hands like they were cold. Gail watched one of her fingers trace the lid of the cup. "With my job, there are times where I end up focusing too much on the small things. A bone fracture here. Stray particles there. It's nice having someone ask questions and show interest. It makes you sort of step back and look at what you're doing. If that makes any sense."

"It does," said Gail with a smile. They sat for a minute finishing their drinks in silence. A comfortable silence too. Gail was not used to that. Normally she would be hoping someone would push the conversation along but not this time. She liked just sitting there with Holly. No pressure. It was with a heavy sigh that she got up from her seat. "I have to get back to the station. Time for my favorite part of the job. Paperwork."

"Oooo. You too? I love paperwork." Gail was about to comment on that when she noticed the smirk and rolled her eyes.

"Nerd," said Gail with a smile. She had remember what Holly had said about people calling her a nerd and actually like the sound of it. Holly was definitely a nerd. But a fun nerd.

"What happened to Lunchbox?"

"Well, congratulations. You, now have two whole nicknames," quipped Gail. "All thanks to your new buddy Gail."

Realizing that she basically just forced her friendship upon the doctor, she was about to backtrack when Holly stood up and held her hand out.

"Phone." Without even thinking Gail pulled out her phone and handed it over. A minute later, Holly was handing her phone back and walking to the exit. "Thanks for the coffee, officer."

Gail looked down at her phone to see new contact info for Lunchbox. She smiled and headed out the door, calling Diaz for a pick up.


	2. Chapter 2

Note: There's totally a joke at the end of this that I think only DFAB women will get but I'm just guessing because I've never been a biological man before so I don't know what being horny feels like for them.

**4x08 Timeline**

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Gail sighed and looked around the parade room. People were still slowly making their way into the room and milling around. Dov sat down next to her and started talking to Andy and her about something not even remotely interesting. Probably something about the Best wedding tonight. Chloe of course was right at his heels. Gail pulled her phone out and slide her thumb across the screen to unlock it.

Gail: Send me coffee.

Lunchbox: So direct. Not even a please or a 'good morning Dr. Stewart'.

Gail: Good morning, nerd. Send me coffee. Now.

Lunchbox: Hmm. The boys must love waking up next to you.

Gail smirked but got distracted when Dov actually started to address her. At some point Oliver had walked in and started talking but no one was listening until he started being weird.

After grabbing coffee with Holly last week they had kept up with occasional text messages. It would usually start when one of them was bored or on a break and then the other person would respond when they got time. The first half of Gail's shift that day was torture. She was stuck listening to Chloe talk about the wedding and Dov and more Dov and more wedding. When they headed back to the station to interview a bunch of old people, Gail was practically jumping for joy. While getting her interviewees some tea she quickly checked her phone.

Lunchbox: Ask me how well zip lock bags work for human drug trafficking.

Gail: Well, if they're seeing you for an appointment, I'm going to guess not well.

Lunchbox: Pretty and smart. You're just rocking the whole package.

Lunchbox: But seriously. Zip lock bags, Gail. Zip lock bags. Have they never heard of rubber gloves? Condoms? Balloons?

Gail: I really hope you're not out there telling drug mules how to sneak their stashes better.

Lunchbox: Haha. No. Though maybe it pays better…

Gail: Don't make me arrest you.

Lunchbox: Kidding. Mostly. ;)

Gail smiled and went back to her interview. Everything went rather smoothly considering how many people had to be interviewed. And Gail actually found herself liking the two she had to talk to. Walter and Constance made for more interesting conversation than some of the others from what she could tell. She would certainly rather be talking to them than thinking about this wedding. But she deserved some fun didn't she? That's what Constance told her.

"But wedding's aren't fun," grumbled Gail. When she finished pulling her street clothes on so she could head home, her phone went off in her pocket.

Lunchbox: So, what are you doing tonight? Want to grab a drink?

Gail stared at her phone for a second before answering.

Gail: I know a place where we can get free drinks tonight. I guess I can spare my plus one for you.

Lunchbox: Plus one? How sweet of you.

Gail: Never use that word to describe me again. Sarcastically or not. And yeah, plus one. I have to go to this wedding tonight. Go with me. Free drinks.

Gail headed out to the parking lot to catch a ride home with Dov so she could get ready. She was going to catch a cab over to the wedding. No one should have to hang around Dov and Chloe for longer than necessary.

Lunchbox: Formal?

Gail: Nope. Flannel.

Gail: It's a wedding, nerd, so just assume formal. I'm wearing a dress.

Lunchbox: An officer in a dress? This I have to see. For science.

Gail: Don't get any ideas missy. I promised free drinks. Nothing else.

Lunchbox: So, what's the address? We can meet at the bar.

After meeting Holly in the coat room and handing over her only bit of cash, Gail grumbled as she followed Holly to the bar. As they walked passed a few people, Gail found her eyes wandering down Holly's backside and immediately pulled her attention away to have it land on Oliver.

"Well if it isn't my favorite Peck," said Oliver. "Gail this is Celery. Celery this is Gail and…well, I'm not actually sure I know who Gail's friend is. She looks familiar though."

"Holly Stewart," said Holly, sticking her hand out to shake Oliver's and then Celery's. "I work over at the coroner's office."

"Wow. Really?" asked Celery. Gail was pretty sure this was the witch that Dov had told her about through text earlier. She was cute and she seemed to really like Oliver. She kept looking at him all doe eyed. Gail could vomit at how sweet it all was.

"Yep, I'm a forensic pathologist." Holly was doing that really cute thing where her smile only curved up to one side.

It was weird though. Well, actually, Holly was weird. This had to be the first doctor she ever met who didn't introduce themselves with the full title right off the bat, until she mentioned her job, they could have literally walked away thinking she was the super-hot secretary or something. Especially weird considering how quick Holly had been to try and put Gail "in her place" with all her nerd speak at the ravine. Although, Gail figured that the whole "Lunchbox" thing might have played a small part in that.

"So, Dr. Stewart, then. Nice. Really. You must have worked with Doctor…um…" Oliver was terrible at remembering names.

"Dr. Morris. He left at the end of my fellowship," nodded Holly.

Oliver looked at Gail and she snapped her attention away from Holly's smile. She didn't like the way he smiled. Like he knew something she didn't. "Wow look at this. Gail, you made a friend. I'm so proud of you. My little rookie is growing up so fast."

Oliver jokingly tried to pull Gail into a hug and she pushed him off.

"Gross. Go away. Besides we're looking for alcohol not you being weird." Holly smiled as Gail moved away from Oliver and held onto the brunette's arm to lead them both toward the bar.

They stood at the end of the bar and flagged down the bartender to give their orders. He returned quickly with a glass of wine and a rum and coke.

"I think that was the first time I've ever heard a doctor not insist on being called by their title," said Gail, glancing over at Holly who she noticed was just watching her while sipping at her glass.

"Well, you're an officer. You said this is your boss's wedding. Putting two and two together I figured this would be a room full of other law enforcement officials and there's nothing uniforms dislike more than stuck up medical professionals. Thought maybe I'd keep my credentials on the down-low." Holly said it all so matter-of-factly but with such humor that Gail couldn't think of anything to say. She was right, of course. Cops hated stuck up doctors who acted like they knew everything just because they went to medical school.

"Pretty and smart," said Gail with a smirk into her glass at using the words Holly had said to her earlier. Holly leaned over, her face close enough to Gail's that she could feel her breath on her shoulder.

"Well, I did go to medical school," whispered Holly. Gail playfully shoved her away.

"That explains why you talk like such a nerd." Gail was grinning like a loon. There was something about Holly that just put her at ease. It had to be the fact that she was just so nice to Gail. There was no preconceived idea between them that Gail was a mega bitch like there was with most people at 15. It was really refreshing to get a chance to just be Gail and not just a Peck. Or at least what Gail thought was Gail. Okay, that didn't even make much sense to her. Probably the alcohol.

Having Holly at the wedding actually made it pretty fun. They pretty much just spent the whole night talking to each other while Gail told ridiculous stories about the people there or making comments about the outfits around them. Gail couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun just talking to someone and she couldn't tell if it was the alcohol or not but she really liked the way the other woman would lightly touch her arm or playfully hit her shoulder when she said something off color. Especially when she started asking personal questions about Holly being with women. The doctor would reply but all her answers seemed to be more about teasing than actually giving information.

When they were waiting for the ceremony to start, Gail started jokingly asking which women there Holly thought were attractive.

"Come on, Holly," whispered Gail as she nudged Holly. "What about her?"

"The redhead? She's cute. A little too short though," laughed Holly. They sat really close to each other so they didn't have to speak very loud. "Shockingly enough I actually enjoy wearing heels sometimes. Not everything is about sensible mud boots."

"Understandable. You look great in them. The heels. Not the mud boots." Gail wasn't really registering what she was saying through the buzz but she liked the way Holly was smiling at her. "Okay, what about…her?"

"Not my type," shrugged Holly.

"The woman behind us?" Gail knew she was referring to Oliver's ex-wife but whatever, it was just a silly game.

"Still not my type."

"Okay then. What is your type? Is anyone in this room your 'type'?" Gail was laughing. She found this all way too amusing. "Are any of us coppers good enough for Doctor Stewart?"

Holly's smirk became a full smile as she just held Gail's gaze. After a moment she just shook her head, not as a no but as if saying no to Gail even asking the question. Like there was something Gail just wasn't getting.

After the ceremony, that Gail had to admit was kind of beautiful just like Frank and Noelle, and after some hilariously awkward dancing with Holly, they had snatched a bottle of Champaign while no one was looking and headed back to the coat room, giggling like teens. As the blonde wrapped a random fur coat over her shoulders and they sat together on the floor, leaning against a wall, Gail found herself delving right back into questions about Holly's sexuality and the doctor humored her but not without a lot of teasing about how silly her questions were. It wasn't until Holly made a comment about not wanting to share Gail's clothes that the blonde actually became offended. Her clothes were awesome. The dress she was wearing was awesome. Her shoes? Awesome.

Gail got defensive but before she could say much, Holly leaned over and kissed her. Just a quick, sweet kiss. Their lips met for no more than a second. Then the brunette was up on her feet, leaving Gail in the closet to go dancing. Shaking her head slightly trying to rid herself of the lightheadedness that had just hit her, Gail quickly got to her feet. She left the glass and the fur on the ground where she'd been sitting and grabbed her coat off the rack, shoving the tiny purse she'd brought into the pocket of the coat as she headed out the door.

"Hey." Gail called out to Holly's back as she walked into the night air. The brunette turned and tilted her head when their eyes met. "I could go for some dancing."

Holly smiled and turned back to walking toward the taxi that was waiting for the wedding to end. She held the door of the car open and motioned for Gail to get in first. Once the door was closed and they were both situated the driver looked between them expectantly and Holly gave him an address that made him quirk an eyebrow at them and smile.

"Well, this explains the taxi driver eyeing us funny," said Gail as she looked at the club they'd been dropped off at. It was a popular gay bar. Well, gay and lesbian and probably anyone else who wanted to be there since the line was full of more than just hunky guys. Holly just laughed and walked them up to the front of the line. The bouncer smiled at Holly and nodded, opening the door for both of them. Gail would have to remember to ask Holly why she was VIP at this place when their hearing wasn't being attacked.

As the blonde took in her surroundings, Holly led them to the coat room where the doctor tipped the girl with the five Gail had given her. Threading their fingers together, Holly pulled Gail with her to the dance floor. Normally Gail would not be one for the massive amount of bodies gyrating around her but when she felt Holly start to move against her as they packed themselves in with the other club patrons she immediately forgot other people were even there.

Holly was all she could feel. It was intoxicating. The brunette pressed against her back, shifting and grinding to the beat. Despite the goofy excuse for dancing they had done back at the wedding, Holly was actually really good at moving her body and Gail tried to match her, albeit a bit more awkwardly. Gail actually wasn't much for the club life. Something in her had just screamed at her to follow Holly out of the wedding. And she was glad she listened.

When Gail started to get tired, but didn't want to stop, she leaned her head back onto Holly's shoulder and for the first time realized that not once had they let go of each other's hands. Their fingers were laced together and resting against Gail's stomach and it was keeping their hips moving at the same rhythm. Holly must have also been getting tired because she rested the side of her head against Gail's and nuzzled her nose against her ear.

Okay, so Holly probably wasn't tired but that's what Gail was going to tell herself. Just like she was going to tell herself that the feeling in her lower abdomen was because she needed to use the restroom. Just like she was going to tell herself that they were just friends, even when Holly kissed her on the cheek and held onto her hand a little longer than any normal friends would after the taxi dropped her off at her apartment.

If Gail Peck was nothing else, she was fantastic at lying to herself.


End file.
